Budapest at night: photos of a city

Budapest

Budapest consistently ranks as one of the worlds most visited and highly rated cities. People come for the baths, the castle and the ruin bars, amongst many other things. And yet when I think of Budapest and my many visits, one resounding thing springs to mind. How the city looked and changed as the sun set behind the Buda Hills, and the city was lit from beneath not from above. It inspired Budapest at night: photos of a city.

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Sunset

Some of my favourite photos of the city were taken at this time, and I’m compelled to share them with you. My favourite place to view the setting sun is undoubtedly Gellert Hill, which rises from the Danube, 145 metres above the city. Its commanding position is perfect and therefore the sunsets are as close to the same, occuring in a location where the sea or ocean are never seen.

Budapest sunsets
Statue of Liberty on Gellert Hill
Budapest sunsets
Panorama of the Budapest Bend
Budapest sunsets
The sky alight above Gellert Hill
Budapest sunsets
The sun setting beyond Gellert Citadel

The city is known for its fiery skies and therefore Buda Castle’s elevated position is ideal for watching that beautiful orb sink. However I’m a big fan of getting a height advantage for golden hour and the towers of Budapest’s two main churches, the Matthias Church and St Istvans Basilica, provided that perfectly. The first of the photos here are from atop the 364 steps of St Istvan’s Basilicas Cupola, with the other two coming from the Matthias Church. If you have the leg and will power, they are perfect for catching some of the city’s most breathtaking views.

Budapest sunsets
The bell tower of St istvans Cathedral and a furious sky
Budapest sunsets
Beautiful sunset beyond the city
Budapest sunsets
The glow from above Budapest

Budapest at Night photos

As daylight fades, most great cities take on a new lease of life and Budapest is no exception. Budapest at night is gorgeous too, when most of its main attractions are illuminated. The Parliament once again proves to be ace in the pack. The bridges, particularly Chain Bridge is an awesome night time sight too, as are the city’s churches. In conclusion, I’ve compiled a collection of night shots from the city below.

Budapest at night
Statue of Gyula Andrassy outside the Parliament
Budapest at night
South entrance to the Parliament
Budapest at night
The West side of the Parliament is very impressive
Budapest at night
The West Front sweeps down to the Danube
Budapest at night
Another angle
Budapest at night
Distant view of the South Wing
Budapest at night
I expected a snowy Budapest in January, this is what I found
Budapest at night
Hungarian Parliament from the Ministry of Agriculture
Budapest at night
The east side of the Parliament with its dome
Budapest at night
The impressive view of the Parliament from across the Danube
Budapest at night
The view from the Fishermans Bastion
Budapest at night
St Istvans Cathedral at night
Chain Bridge
Chain Bridge from the Danube banks
Chain Bridge
Chain Bridges impressive structure leading to the Gresham Palace Hotel
Budapest at night
The view from Chain Bridge to Margarit Bridge and the Parliament. One of my favourites
Chain Bridge
Chain Bridge from below
Budapest at night
Hand held light trails looking over the Danube
Budapest at night
Another attempted light trail
Matthias Church
Matthias Church – The interior is like a fairytale
Fishermans Bastion
Stone Knights standing guard over the Fishermans Bastion
Budapest at night
Elegant lamposts guide you through the night
Budapest at night
Elisabeth Bridge from above

Of course Budapest’s wonders are not limited to its sunsets and night lights. Its a vast city of culture, history and great activities above all.

For the full lowdown on these experiences, then my blog The Ultimate Guide to Budapest, is where you should be off to next.

Welcome to CarpeDiemEire

Hi, I’m John, one half of CarpeDiemEire along with my wife Beata. On the blog, we take you from city breaks, to road trips and hikes. One thing we do along the way, is live the moment. We hope to encourage you to do the same.

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18 Responses

    1. Maybe this one 🤦🏻‍♂️. No it’s here too.

    1. Got you. Had you one disappear before. Sorry about that. Thank you appreciate the compliment

    1. Thank you. It certainly is a beautiful place. Thanks for taking the time to look

    1. I came ready for a winter wonderland and that’s what I got. I was a little disappointed. Plus my carry on weighed a ton

  1. Gorgeous! I admire your industry in climbing alllll those stairs to all those towers, John! The views are totally worth it, though I hope the stairs were well lit for your descent. Must have been, as you’re still with us. I’ll be sure to get a fit bit before I visit 🙂

    1. I do like my stairs. I have to say the stairs from Gellert weren’t too well lit so I got out of there fastest. It was more of a challenge to tie all this together. I’m looking forward to a more low key blog next. The city was bigger than I thought. Thanks for taking the time to read

  2. You got some wonderful photos here. it’s such a picturesque city and I’m long overdue a return!

    1. Thanks Jason. Its centre is quite a masterpiece of architecture. I get the good fortune of seeing it every year now.

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